Madam Charity Akortia from Agona West in the Central Region has been crowned ‘2023 Overall National Best Farmer’ at the 39th National Farmers’ Day Celebration held at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa in the Western Region.
For her prize, Madam Charity Akortia would get GH¢1,000,000 sponsored by the Agricultural Development Bank.
The first runner-up, Theophilus Ezenrane from Jomoro in the Western Region would receive a tractor, trailer, disc plough and a boom sprayer sponsored by Exim Bank.
The second runner-up, Kwaku Yeboah Asuamah from Kintampo South in the Bono East Region also received a tractor with implements sponsored by Stanbic Bank.
Madam Adwoa Sintim from Sankore in the Ahafo Region won the National Best Cocoa Farmer award.
The National Best Overall Fisher award went to Mr. Kwesi Mensah from Elmina in the Central region who received Double Cabin Pick-Up sponsored by the Government of Ghana.
The other categories included the National Best Most Enterprising Female Farmer, National Best Coffee Farmer, National Best Shea Nut Picker, National Best Most Promising Young Cocoa Farmer, National Best Female Farmer, National Best Physically Challenged Farmer, National Best Livestock Farmer, National Best Fisheries Extension Officer, National Best Inland Fisher, National Best Aquaculture Farmer and National Best Fish Processor.
Themed, “Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience”, a total of 16 awards were given at this year’s ceremony.
Delivering the keynote address, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, commended Ghanaian farmers for their commitment and resilience to feed the citizenry in the face of the global economic and food crises.
The Government, he said, would continue to support them with the needed incentives and policies for increased productivity.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong lauded all farmers for their effort. He assured them that the Ministry would continue to liaise with them and implement the best policies in their favour.
He noted that Ghana’s agriculture sector characterized by low productivity, with many farmers achieving less than 60% of the potential crop yields, a challenge of high.
According to the Food and Agriculture Minister, farmers achieving less than 60 per cent of their crop yields with post-harvest losses ranging from 10% to as high as 70% in the agriculture sector is unacceptable.
Dr. Acheampong said he is, therefore, leading the strategy to change things for the better to enable farmers to get the desired results from their hard work in providing food for the country.
The awards ceremony was instituted to reward the nation’s hardworking and gallant farmers and fishers for their commendable and meritorious contributions to the nation’s food security.
On Monday, November 27, at the head office of the Food and Agriculture Ministry, saw the display of various food items and crops from different regions across the country.
The five-day agricultural fair dubbed “Agrifest Ghana 2023”, seeks to create awareness of various food items, where and how to get them in large quantities, and also to appreciate the hardworking farmers responsible for producing them.
